


I Will Treat Them All The Same

by ViolaMoon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Founding of Hogwarts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:34:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24332908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViolaMoon/pseuds/ViolaMoon
Summary: Helga and the other founders are preparing to open Hogwarts for the first time. The other founders want to choose students and train them in the values they hold dear. But what does Helga value?
Kudos: 7





	I Will Treat Them All The Same

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written for the Second Round of the Eighth Season of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition: Celestial Wonders
> 
> I'm writing as Keeper for the Pride of Portree.
> 
> Keeper prompt: Moons - Though there are planets that have many moons, Earth only has one. It is capable of manipulating and influencing nature as it makes its monthly journey around Earth. — Write about a character who has a lot of influence or control over something/someone.
> 
> This story was also written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenge & Assignments) – Assignment #9
> 
> Journalism: The Principles of Journalism – Task #4: Write the backstory of a minor character from canon.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the world J. K. Rowling has created. It's all hers, from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts to all the people living there.
> 
> Thanks to my fantastic team for their help with beta!

In their school council room in the newly constructed Hogwarts castle, they sat around a table which was covered in parchment with plans; lesson ideas, architectural drawings, lists of students and more. It was a mammoth task, but one they had taken upon themselves gladly. Even if there were some in their group who believed they had more of a right to be there than others.

"Remind me again, why is Hufflepuff here?" Salazar scorned, looking at the plump Welsh witch with a look that could only amount to disgust. "We are discussing opening a school. Should she not be at home with her young-uns?" The elder wizard glared at her and before Helga could respond, Godric raised a gloved hand and silenced the man.

"That's enough, Salazar. We all have something to contribute and Helga's talents far extend beyond childcare."

"Yes," Rowena said, lifting her head from where she was busy scribbling notes onto a piece of parchment. "Her charms skills far exceed any of ours, don't even try to deny it."

Helga blushed. "Oh, I don't know about that…" she said as she brushed the brown cloth of her simple dress so the crinkles disappeared from view. "I am just happy to help, a school is sorely needed."

The group nodded, Slytherin albeit reluctantly. There were stories of young magical children being ostracised, having magical accidents or worse, killed for their talents. As the four looked at their plans, they all silently agreed. The school needed to be a safe haven for the growing wizarding community.

"Well then," Rowena continued. She crossed off items from her list. "We have our first incoming class, for now we all teach them. We will focus on our specialities later. Once we get more students, we can have classes divided by years."

"I would like to propose that we each select students who we wish to personally guide," Salazar said as he stroked his family ring. "To instil in them values we feel are important."

Helga watched as the others agreed. Rowena suggested that she take the keen students, the ones eager to learn, and Godric would take the courageous. But Helga didn't like this at all.

"While, my dear comrades, I agree that we should guide and train them, is it right to divide them up like this?" she asked while tucking a stray strand of auburn hair behind her eye. The looks on their faces said it all.

"Well, we are to guide an entire generation of students, Helga," Rowena insisted. "Our world is constantly changing and this is our time to make a mark, we can do this by dividing them up amongst us" The others nodded.

Helga looked down at her hands and fiddled with the callused tips. Her hands so used to baking, gardening, and physical labour which didn't always require a wand. What did she value?

"Let me think about it," she said, looking up at them with a wavering sense of determination. "I need to think about what I wish to teach them. Before the opening feast, I will have an answer. I promise you that."

"Perfect," Rowena smiled. "I hereby call this meeting to an end, we will meet on the thirty-first of August to go over the opening feast."

With that, the meeting concluded. Salazar apparated away, eager to find more students, Godric set about working on the wards and Rowena continued working on her plans for the castle.

Helga rose, she needed to think, and there was only one place she could do that.

In the newly constructed kitchens, Helga pulled out her wand and smiled. This would do. A place to feed a lot of hungry young mouths. First Salazar had protested. They didn't need such an extensive kitchen, nor did the student need wonderful food. Luckily, he had been proved wrong. Fed students were happy students, and happy students learnt better.

A pop sounded near her and a small house-elf appeared. "Mistress Hufflepuff!" she said, "Welcome back!"

Helga smiled. "Oh thank you, Poppy." Helga moved over the gigantic table in the middle of the room and with a flick of her wand, summoned piles upon piles of parchment. Each a recipe, developed for special occasions, for rainy days, for days when a student needs a bit of home comfort and every other situation she could think of. "Now, I have created these for all of you," she said. Helga gave another flick of her wand and the parchments wound around themselves and formed several books, full of recipes. Food that she hoped would fill the bellies of students for years to come.

"Oh thank you, Mistress!" Poppy's large eyes grew even larger as she levitated the books over to a shelf.

"If any of the new house elves cannot read, let me know and I will come and teach them."

Poppy nodded. "You are such a kind Mistress, so much more so than old Master…" she mumbled and then went to grab a frying pan from the cupboard.

"No," Helga said, holding the small elf's hand. "We don't punish ourselves here."

Poppy looked unsure but moved her hand away from the cupboard. "Poppy forgot Mistress, Poppy still isn't used to this…"

Helga nodded and smiled. It was an adjustment for a lot of the elves. When she approached the others about bringing on house elves to help with the maintenance of the castle, cleaning and cooking, she had insisted that they be treated fairly. Hogwarts would be a safe haven for everyone, not just the staff and students. She didn't like how some families treated their elves, like slaves, like animals. No, she would not allow it in her school.

As Poppy busied herself with organising the kitchen, Helga rose, her mind full of thoughts about the meeting.

Choosing students for her to guide? But how would she choose them, what did she value?

Her feet led her and the castle answered. Just outside the kitchens; a door appeared followed by some barrels to disguise the entrance.

A large circular sitting room appeared. It was large enough for a whole gaggle of students. Warmth called out to her from the fireplace, and she found herself sitting in a mustard-coloured armchair; the ambiance of the room soothed her wary mind.

As she looked around the room, she could see corridors going off the main room, and she realised what this place was. It was a place for her students, the ones she would choose.

And like that, she knew. She knew what she would do, who she would choose.

OoO

"So Helga, I have been curious all week." Rowena smiled at her friend and colleague. "What is your decision?"

Helga sat straight and with more confidence than she normally would show, she raised her voice. "While I agree with you that we should guide the students, and we should choose and house them in places special to who we are and what we value. I wish to do this in my way."

"And what would that be?" Salazar said impatiently.

"I will teach the lot. I will teach them all and treat them all the same," she said. Her voice shook with determination as she found herself being proud of her choice. She was certain this was the way to proceed.

"I will choose those that value loyalty, hard-work, patience and tolerance and most importantly, I will take any student who wishes to join my house and take my name. My house will be a place of equality and a haven for all."

Rowena smiled and nodded. "That sounds wonderful."

Salazar scoffed, but nodded half-heartedly.

"That idea of yours to give them your name… that is interesting," Godric commented, shaking a finger at her with a broad smile. "Why don't we do that?"

The others looked at him and waited for him to continue. Helga gripped her yellow cloak, glad that they had accepted her values, her house.

"Those who I choose will be of Gryffindor House, Rowena's will be of Ravenclaw House and Salazar's will be of Slytherin House. It will foster comradery and give them a place to belong."

Rowena and Salazar agreed and Helga took the map that was sprawled out in the centre of the table, gazing at it before finding the newly formed rooms she had discovered. She took her wand and tapped on it.

'Hufflepuff Common Room' appeared in scrawled letters.

"I discovered this room earlier, it is here I will house my students, close to the kitchens. The castle showed it to me."

"The castle isn't sentient, Helga," Salazar said with a judgemental look.

Helga didn't see the need to justify him with an answer, she knew the truth. The castle had provided it and just as if to prove a point, more rooms appeared on the map of their own accord.

"Look!" Rowena said, pointing at a tower newly formed on the map which said 'Ravenclaw Tower' and soon Godric and Salazar saw it too.

Tomorrow the children would arrive and her new life would begin. Helga couldn't help but smile. This place was truly magical, and she couldn't wait to see it grow, nor could she wait to see the looks on the children's dear faces when they entered the castle for the first time. She considered herself lucky, as this was the start of something special. She couldn't wait to see how much more she could do here for her children. Maybe this was her time to show the wizarding world what tolerance and hard work could do.


End file.
